Have you ever wanted to take a vacation to Mexico City, Mexico but don’t know what sites to see or what activities to do? Well, worry no more, for we bring you the ten best things to do in Mexico City. Our top ten list is curated from several suggestions and personal experiences but the things chosen are sure to leave you breathless.
10. The National Palace
Mexico’s National Palace is located within Mexico City’s main square, at Plaza de la Constitucion and it is one of the favorite spots for tourists visiting the city. It once served as the palace of several of the ruling class of the Aztec Empire and that of Hernan Cortes, the man responsible for the conquest of the Aztecs and the death of millions. Today the National Palace serves as the residence of the President of the Republic and as an administrative and cultural center, allowing Mexico to reclaim its glorious past.
During your visit to the National Palace, you have got to check out more than just its architecture. Don’t misunderstand, the palace’s architecture is gorgeous its tenzontle facade is something worth looking at but there’s so much more to it, especially its interior which is laden with some of the most gorgeous murals ever painted by Diego Rivera. These paintings, tell the storied epic of Mexico’s past, and on the stairwell of the second floor is a mural painted by Diego Rivera between 1929 to 1950 depicting the history of the Mexican people from the 16th century to the 20th century called “The Epic of The Mexican People”. This mural is sure to elicit tears from you alongside a mural depicting pre-Hispanic Mexico and the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl which is located on the right side. A mural in the center, depicts the horror, murder, and rape of the Conquest, allowing you to feel the pain of the Mexican people’s past and their desire for freedom. It might be number ten on the list but it is sure to evoke some strong emotions from you.
9. Plaza De Zocalo
Located at Mexico City’s main square is Plaza de Zocalo otherwise known as Plaza de la Constitucion. This beautiful plaza has been a meeting place for Mexicans since the times of the Aztecs. People gather here for all sorts of ceremonies, military parades, and even cultures. It is a representation of the unity of the Mexican people and should be one of the first places you take a look at. Any tour you take must contain this place on their list of places to visit or it’s a sham because Plaza de Zocalo is brimming with rich Mexican culture and heritage. Ask any tour guide about the place and they will explain to you that the site was built on top of the main ceremonial center of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan for anyone not familiar with pre-Columbian Mexico was a large and well-developed city-state built on the island of Lake Texoco which served as the seat of the Aztec Empire for centuries. The word Zocalo means pedestal after a plinth or pedestal once located there. Within Zocalo are several important buildings like the National Palace, and the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral built atop the former Aztec Templo Mayor. While you are in the area, we would suggest taking a look at Aztec dancers who take inspiration from ancient rituals and traditional dances to express Mexico’s vibrant culture and history.
8. Torre Latino Americana
Just downtown Mexico City, is our number eight suggestion, the Torre Latino American or Latin American Tower. The Torre Latino Americana isn’t just any regular old skyscraper, it is known worldwide as the first large skyscraper successfully built in a zone with high seismic activity, making it a feat of engineering and an architectural landmark of modern Mexico. Standing at around 214m tall, it was once the 45th tallest skyscraper in Latin America and is a testament to Latin American excellence.
The Torre Latino Americana is famous amongst tourists from abroad for its viewing platform which on a clear day, can give visitors a spectacular view of the surroundings from above. You can also visit the world’s highest aquarium on the 38th floor while you’re at it.
Aside from the viewing platform, the Torre Latino Americana also boasts a restaurant, an exhibition space, and a cafe for your enjoyment. Don’t miss out on a visit to the Torre Latino Americana with your friends and family, it will be worth your while. Not as much as the next location though, the next location is sure to blow your mind.
7. Floating Gardens of Xochimilco
People say human ingenuity is the most beautiful thing ever and this statement kind of rings true for Xochimilco, a tribute to the human ingenuity of the past. What had once been conceived by the Aztecs as a way to grow crops on man-made islands is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Xochimilco is a site of stunning natural and cultural beauty with canals running as far as 100 miles. Its gardens or chinampas were constructed from juniper trees and tourists can get around them riding gondola boats called Trajinera. Sure it’s going to be busy but it is a perfect spot to sit and relax, have some celebrations, or even propose to your loved one. All in all, Xochimilco perfectly represents that exotic vacation spirit you might be looking for.
6. Coyoacan
You are standing in front of a place, a place that embodies a bit of Mexico’s past, a place where the Tenepac people once dominated, they allied with the Spanish against their enemies, the Aztecs. This place is called Coyoacan, the place of Coyotes as the Aztecs named it was later turned into the capital of the then New Spain by Hernan Cortes and his gangs. Now it is filled with picturesque parks and cantinas that will transport you to the past with its brick and stone details. It is a great place to relax, reflect, and seek inspiration with its colorful neighborhood and market brimming with all sorts of foods and drinks. Restaurants and cafes pave the sides of the roads, allowing you to sip some coffee while you contemplate the history you are surrounded with. Visit Coyoacan whenever you’re in Mexico City, it is sure to relieve you of some of the stress and burden from work.
5. Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe
Next up is the Basilica of Santa Maria de Guadalupe or Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe. The Basilica of Our Lady Guadolope is a historic site and a sprawling cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is one of the greatest symbols of Christianity in Latin America. It is located on a site where a native claimed to have seen the Lady of Guadolpe in a vision in 1531 which people believed to be the Virgin Mary. This historic site not only boasts awe-inspiring architecture, but it also has a lot of cultural and religious significance to Mexicans and Latin America as a whole being the site of the true first merger between native culture and European religion. Every year, this site receives about 20 million pilgrims, making it especially crowded. So a visit to this cultural and religious phenomenon might be challenging, but it will be worthwhile.
4. Eat Street Food
Number three is street food. Who visits Mexico City without experiencing the unique Mexican culinary scene? Nobody, why? Because Mexico has some of the best food. Mexico City offers a wide variety of food options ranging from street food or antojitos to gourmet food at local and international restaurants. Chicharron, Tacos, quesadillas, tamales, and delicious churros, just imagine your tongue bursting with flavor from all of that flavourful food with original taste. You don’t want to miss out on street food when you are in Mexico City.
3. Chapultepec Castle
If you are down in Mexico City, definitely visit Chapultepec Castle. It is located at the top of Chapultepec Hill and is one of the only two castles alongside Iturbide Place to house monarchs. From the sacred hill of the Aztecs to the 18th Century Palace, military academy, imperial residence, presidential residence, and observatory, Chapultepec currently houses the National Museum of Anthropology, a very fitting designation indeed. A visit to Chapultec is like a journey into Mexico’s past, and it is a place to visit, not just for the National Museum but also for its sprawling gardens in Chapultec Park. Speaking of National Museums, The National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec is the next on the list to visit.
2. National Museum of Anthropology
The National Museum is amazing because it contains the history of Mexico, pre and post-Columbian, and is suitable for all ages to visit. The amount of history contained within its murals, and glass cases is like no other, get a good guide that won’t bore you and you just might be in for some of the most exciting times of your life. Several people who have been to the National Museum tend to describe it along the lines of being a national treasure, and a symbol for all that human ingenuity can achieve scientifically, ideologically, and politically. If you are visiting Mexico City, it is highly recommended that you check out the place even if you visit no other place in Mexico City.
1. Teotihuacan
This is arguably one of the most famous sites in Latin America. It is probably the first thing that pops up when you search for places to visit in Mexico and no picture or video can properly do justice to Teotihuacan and its glory, it can only be properly appreciated up close. Located 40km northeast of the current Mexico City, what makes Teotihuacan amazing is the fact that the city itself is not a Mexica city, meaning a city built by the Aztecs of the Mexica Empire, but rather it was built before them and was capable of holding more than 125,000 people at its zenith. It was a religious center for the area for centuries and is filled with ancient architectural marvels such as the Pyramid of the Sun and The Pyramid of the Moon that will allow you to reflect on the ingenuity of the past and appreciate the ancient culture of Mesoamerica.
There’s a lot more to do in Mexico City but these are just the most important ones we have chosen. So what place was your favorite and where would you love to visit the most?